Those that learn the primary instalment of this sequence final 12 months will discover that I didn’t buy any of the opposite items on my checklist. After all, the truth that reference 5443 is a manual-winding rectangular watch struck the Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, Rado True Sq. and Nomos Glashütte Tetra off my checklist. This doesn’t imply that there are not any different targets in my sights, though I confess to being circumspect about what I focus on publicly. To proceed one thing of a practice at WOW Singapore although, I’ll as soon as extra advocate for a chunk by a model that I’ve lengthy championed — this time, it’s Blancpain. What would possibly shock a few of you is that it’s a conventional Fifty Fathoms, not a Bathyscaphe variant.
Like numerous manufacturers, Swiss and in any other case, Blancpain has a variety of depth within the dive watch vary, together with two very totally different base fashions within the Fifty Fathoms, and the Bathyscaphe (the complete identify is Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe, however I’ll simply use Bathyscaphe on this story to keep away from confusion). Regardless of its extra up to date and muscular look, the Fifty Fathoms watch is the direct descendant of the unique Fifty Fathoms from 1953. The Bathyscaphe just isn’t a newcomer both, debuting on the finish of the Fifties and concentrating on the leisure diver, which explains its smaller scale. At 45mm, the Fifty Fathoms was at all times utterly not possible for me to put on, particularly as a result of it’s fairly a thick fellow, at 15.4mm crystal-to-caseback. If I deliberate to put on it on prime of a wetsuit, it will likely be simply high quality, however in any other case, the watch merely wears me. Whereas there are Fifty Fathoms watches in smaller sizes, these are all restricted editions, and I take too lengthy to tug the set off to ever play that sport.
Then again — actually — if you’re contemplating this as a look ahead to another person, you need to nonetheless contemplate the scale problem. It is a watch that basically pops, because it have been, and that’s a part of its purposeful attraction — it appears to be like prefer it was meant to be worn over a wetsuit as knowledgeable instrument. It needs to be famous that the unidirectional bezel provides to this look, with its domed sapphire crystal insert. So far as iconic dive watches go, there’s nothing like the mix of sapphire crystal within the bezel and sapphire crystal over the dial.
If — and it’s a huge if — Blancpain introduces a extra moderately sized Fifty Fathoms, just like the No Rad editions, then it isn’t solely my choose for a dive watch in 2023 but in addition a purchase advice for anybody enthusiastic about dive watches above S$10,000; with an exhibition caseback, it might properly be definitely worth the gold worth even… In any case, a showcase for calibre 1153, with all its high quality ending touches and 120 hours of energy reserve is totally required. If you happen to will need to have a closed caseback, Blancpain does have you ever lined, however I can’t suggest it. Subjective issues apart, the value vary is actually the principle limiting issue right here, as soon as the sizing problem is disbursed with and purist ideology is sorted.
The canny amongst you’ll know that 2023 marks an necessary milestone for the Fifty Fathoms — properly, you’ll have seen if you’re any good at studying and maths! Blancpain — and Swatch Group — have been signalling that the seventieth anniversary is a giant deal, with Hayek Jr even hinting that maybe some sort of Swatch collaboration might be within the works… I suppose this one might be referred to as the DeepSwatch however right here at WOW, we anticipate huge issues. Or reasonably, extra modestly sized propositions.
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